Sheet metal machining apparatus

ABSTRACT

A sheet metal machining apparatus is disclosed, and the sheet metal machining apparatus includes a base, a driving device, a supporting device, a rolling device and an oscillating device. The driving device and the supporting device are set on the base. The rolling device is located on the supporting device, and has a first roller and a second roller. The oscillating device is associated with the second roller by a linear guide. Thus, the first roller and the second roller are driven by the driving device to rotate in an opposite directions wherein the second roller further reciprocates in a predetermined range through the oscillating device.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The application claims priority to Taiwan Application Serial Number96118246, filed May 22, 2007, which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a sheet metal machining apparatus, andmore particularly to a sheet metal apparatus of two rollers associatedwith an oscillating device which can longitudinally roll andtransversely file metallic material.

2. Description of Related Art

Regarding metal machining, rolling is a forming process for metalwherein the metal is passed through a set of rollers to provide aplastic deformation. During the process, the machined metal is rolleduntil the desired cross-section profile, thickness or mechanicalproperties is obtained. The rolling is mainly divided into cold rollingand hot rolling. The cold rolling is carried out below the metalre-crystallization temperature to harden the metal, and then the metalis annealed to prevent it from becoming brittle and cracking. The hotrolling is carried out above metal re-crystallization temperature toproduce sheet metal or simple cross section, and is primarily concernedwith manipulating the material's shape rather than with the mechanicalproperties.

The compressive strain resulting from the rolling is concentrated on therolled surface but lacks shear strain such that the machining strain isrestricted. In addition, the strain inside the material varies atdifferent portions on the machined surface during the deformation of thesheet metal wherein the strain is gradually decreased toward the center.As a result, the strain inside the material is spread disproportionally.

SUMMARY

It is therefore an aspect to provide a sheet metal machining apparatusto improve the problem that conventional rolling has limited machiningstrain.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present embodiment, the sheetmetal machining apparatus includes a base, a driving device, asupporting device, a rolling device and an oscillating device.

The driving device and the supporting device are set on the base whereinthe supporting device has a first supporting unit, a second supportingunit, a first linear guide and a connecting block. The rolling device islocated between the first supporting unit and the second supportingunit, and has a first roller and a second roller. The connecting blockis mounted on the first linear guide wherein the first linear guide ispositioned below the second roller. The second roller is connected tothe connecting block. The first roller and the second roller arerespectively connected with the driving device by a first link shaft anda second link shaft. The oscillating device is positioned on the baseand associated with the connecting block to oscillate transversely thesecond roller in a predetermined distance.

The supporting device has a second linear guide and a feeding platformwherein the second linear guide is operable for the first roller to movethereon for height regulation, and the feeding platform is operable tosupport a workpiece toward the space between the first roller and thesecond roller for machining.

Accordingly, the driving device drives the first roller and the secondroller through the first link shaft and the second link shaft to rotatein opposite directions and at an identical rotational speed. Inaddition, the second roller has both axial oscillation and radialrotation movement because the second roller is connected to theconnecting block on which the oscillating device is associated.Therefore, the workpiece is machined with rolling and transverse filingthrough the conduction of the feeding platform.

As a result, the sheet metal machining apparatus of the presentinvention has the following effects:

The first roller and the second roller of the sheet metal machiningapparatus of the embodiment are driven to rotate in opposite directionsand at an identical rotational speed wherein the second roller isfurther driven by the oscillating device associated with the connectingblock to reciprocate such that both radial rotation and axialoscillation are provided. Therefore, the machined workpiece is forcedwith compressive strain and massive shear strain at the same time toincrease total plastic strain in the material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of theinvention and, together with the description, serve to explain theprinciples of the invention. In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a sheet metal machining apparatus of theembodiment in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial view of the sheet metal machining apparatus of theembodiment in accordance with FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view along the cross line 3-3 of a second linkshaft of the sheet metal machining apparatus in accordance with FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferredembodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers areused in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or likeparts.

While the specification concludes with claims defining the features ofthe invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that theinvention will be better understood from a consideration of thefollowing description in conjunction with the figures, in which likereference numerals are carried forward.

Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic viewof a sheet metal machining apparatus of the embodiment in accordancewith the present invention. FIG. 2 illustrates a partial view of thesheet metal machining apparatus of the embodiment in accordance withFIG. 1. The sheet metal machining apparatus includes a base 100, adriving device 200, a supporting device 300, a rolling device 400 and anoscillating device 500.

The driving device 200 is set on the base 100 and may be a hydraulicdevice. In this embodiment, the driving device 200 is a hydraulic motordevice and includes a first hydraulic motor 210 and a second hydraulicmotor 260.

The supporting device 300 is mounted on the base 100 and includes afirst supporting unit 310, a second supporting unit 360, a guide device350, a connecting block 380 and a feeding platform 370. The rollingdevice 400 is located between the first supporting unit 310 and thesecond supporting unit 360, and includes a first roller 410 and a secondroller 460. The rolling device 400 is connected with the driving device200 by a linking device 600 of a first link shaft 610 and a second linkshaft 660. The first roller 410 of the rolling device 400 is connectedwith the first hydraulic motor 210 of the driving device 200 by thefirst link shaft 610, and the second roller 460 of the rolling device400 is connected with the second hydraulic motor 260 by the second linkshaft 660.

The guide device 350 includes a first linear guide 351 disposed betweenthe first supporting unit 310 and the second supporting unit 360 and asecond linear guide 352 disposed on the first supporting unit 310 andthe second supporting unit 360. The first linear guide 351 is positionedbelow the second roller 460, and the connecting block 380 is mounted onthe first linear guide 351 wherein the second roller 460 is connected tothe connecting block 380. Therefore, the first linear guide 351 and thesecond linear guide 352 are respectively operable for the second roller460 and the first roller 410 to move thereon. The feeding platform 370is mounted on the supporting device 300 to support a workpiece towardthe space between the first roller 410 and the second roller 460 formachining.

The oscillating device 500 is a hydraulic cylinder positioned on thebase 100 and associated with the connecting block 380. The hydrauliccylinder is pressurized by a hydraulic system 120 set in the base 100 totransform the oil's energy to move the piston of the hydraulic cylinderin a linear work. Therefore, the second roller 460 connected to theconnecting block 380 oscillates in a predetermined distance.

As a result, the driving device 200 rotates the first roller 410 and thesecond roller 460 through the first link shaft 610 and the second linkshaft 660 connected between the rolling device 400 and the drivingdevice 200. The first roller 410 and the second roller 460 arerespectively driven to rotate in opposite directions at an identicalrotational speed. In addition, the second roller 460 has both axialoscillation and radial rotation movement because the second roller 460is connected to the connecting block 380 on which the oscillating device500 is associated. Therefore, the workpiece (ex. sheet metal) ismachined with rolling and transverse filing through the conduction ofthe feeding platform 370.

The sheet metal machining apparatus of the embodiment further includes aheight regulation device 700 set on the supporting device 300 to elevatethe first roller 410. The height regulation device 700 has a controlmotor 710, a disc 720 a clutch 730 and a power steering device 740.

The power steering device 740 is set on the supporting device 300 andconnected with the first roller 410. The control motor 710 is connectedwith the power steering device 740 and secured on an upholder 750attached with the supporting device 300 for coarse height regulation ofthe first roller 410. The disc 720 is connected with the power steeringdevice 740 for fine height regulation of the first roller 410. Theclutch 730 is disposed between the control motor 710 and the disc 720 tocontrol engaging and disengaging operations between the control motor710 and the disc 720. The clutch 730 prevents the disc 720 from causingpotential danger that would result from the rotation of the disc 720when the control motor 710 operates.

When the operator manipulates the height regulation device 700, thecontrol motor 710 or the disc 720 forces the power steering device 740(ex. a bevel gear device) to adjust the space between the first roller410 and the second roller 460 wherein the first roller 410, connectedwith the power steering device 740, is elevated along the supportingdevice 300 via the second linear guide 352. Through this method, thespace between the first roller 410 and the second roller 460 can bemodified in accordance with various workpiece thicknesses.

Refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3. FIG. 3 illustrates a sectional view alongthe cross line 3-3 of a second link shaft of the sheet metal machiningapparatus in accordance with FIG. 1. With regard to cooperation with theoscillating device 500 and the height regulation device 700, the firstlink shaft 610 includes a first shaft 611 and a first rod 613 whereinthe first rod 613 is telescopically held in the first shaft 611, and thesecond link shaft 660 includes a second shaft 661 and a second rod 663wherein the second rod 663 is telescopically held in the first shaft661. The second rod 663 includes a plurality of keys 615, and the secondshaft 661 includes a plurality of splines 616 wherein the keys 615 areheld in the splines 616 to provide the second link shaft 660 both radialrotation and axial movement.

The first shaft 611 of the first link shaft 610 and the second shaft 661of the second link shaft 660 respectively include two ends linked withthe rolling device 400 and the driving device 200. Furthermore, thefirst shaft 611 has a pair of universal joints 612 assembled on the endsrespectively linked with the first roller 410 and the first hydraulicmotor 210. The second shaft 661 has a pair of universal joints 612assembled on the ends respectively linked with the second roller 460 andthe second hydraulic motor 260. Consequently, the first link shaft 610is operated with variable angles because of the universal joint 612 whenthe height of the first roller 410 is elevated by the height regulationdevice 700.

As embodied and broadly described herein, the sheet metal machiningapparatus of the embodiment has the following effects:

The first roller 410 and the second roller 460 of the sheet metalmachining apparatus of the embodiment are driven to rotate in oppositedirections wherein the second roller 460 is further driven by theoscillating device 500 associated with the connecting block 380 toreciprocate such that both radial rotation and axial oscillation areprovided. Therefore, the machined workpiece is forced with compressivestrain and shear strain to enhance plastic deformation in the material.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detailwith reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, otherembodiments are possible. Therefore, their spirit and scope of theappended claims should no be limited to the description of the preferredembodiments contained herein.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made to the structure of the presentinvention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present inventioncover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fallwithin the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.

1. A sheet metal machining apparatus, comprising: a base; a drivingdevice set on the base; a supporting device mounted on the base andcomprising a first supporting unit, a second supporting unit, a guidedevice and a connecting block wherein the guide device comprises a firstlinear guide disposed between the first supporting unit and the secondsupporting unit, and the connecting block is mounted on the first linearguide; a rolling device located between the first supporting unit andthe second supporting unit, and comprising a first roller and a secondroller wherein the second roller is connected to the connecting block; alinking device connected between the rolling device and the drivingdevice; and an oscillating device positioned on the base, and associatedwith the connecting block; whereby the first roller and the secondroller are capable of being rotated by the driving device, and thesecond roller is further capable of being oscillated by the oscillatingdevice to reciprocate during rolling to provide both radial rotation andaxial oscillation.
 2. The sheet metal machining apparatus of claim 1,wherein the supporting device further comprises a feeding platformmounted on the supporting device to support a workpiece toward therolling device.
 3. The sheet metal machining apparatus of claim 1,wherein the linking device comprises a first link shaft and a secondlink shaft wherein the first link shaft is connected with the firstroller, and the second link shaft is connected with the second roller.4. The sheet metal machining apparatus of claim 3, wherein the drivingdevice is a hydraulic device, and comprises a first hydraulic motor anda second hydraulic motor wherein the first hydraulic motor is connectedwith the first link shaft and the second hydraulic motor is connectedwith the second link shaft.
 5. The sheet metal machining apparatus ofclaim 3, wherein the first link shaft comprises a first shaft and afirst rod wherein the first rod is telescopically held in the firstshaft.
 6. The sheet metal machining apparatus of claim 5, wherein thesecond link shaft comprises a second shaft and a second rod wherein thesecond rod is telescopically held in the second shaft.
 7. The sheetmetal machining apparatus of claim 6, further comprising two pairs ofuniversal joint, wherein each the first shaft and the second shaft hastwo ends, and the universal joints are respectively assembled on theends of the first shaft and the second shaft.
 8. The sheet metalmachining apparatus of claim 7, wherein the second rod comprises aplurality of keys, and the second shaft comprises a plurality of splineswherein the keys are held in the splines to provide both radial rotationand axial movement.
 9. The sheet metal machining apparatus of claim 4,wherein the oscillating device is a hydraulic cylinder.
 10. The sheetmetal machining apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a hydraulicsystem set in the base to provide oil into the hydraulic cylinder andthe hydraulic device.
 11. The sheet metal machining apparatus of claim1, further comprising a height regulation device set on the supportingdevice to elevate the first roller.
 12. The sheet metal machiningapparatus of claim 11, wherein the guide device comprises a secondlinear guide disposed on the first supporting unit and the secondsupporting unit for the first roller to move thereon.
 13. The sheetmetal machining apparatus of claim 12, wherein the height regulationdevice comprises a power steering device set on the supporting deviceand connected with the first roller.
 14. The sheet metal machiningapparatus of claim 13, wherein the height regulation device comprises acontrol motor connected with the power steering device for coarse heightregulation of the first roller.
 15. The sheet metal machining apparatusof claim 14, wherein the height regulation device comprises a discconnected with the power steering device for fine height regulation ofthe first roller.
 16. The sheet metal machining apparatus of claim 15,further comprising an upholder attached with the supporting device onwhich the control motor is secured.
 17. The sheet metal machiningapparatus of claim 16, wherein the height regulation device comprises aclutch disposed between the control motor and the disc to controlengaging and disengaging operations between the control motor and thedisc.
 18. The sheet metal machining apparatus of claim 17, wherein thepower steering device is a bevel gear device.